Heston and Marky's Friday Top 5

[Dr. Medulla]

One of those bands I never got around to listening to.

Me neither. Heard a few songs here and there but never inspired me to investigate.

[101Walterton]

The Stranglers, The Jam, Joe Strummer all came from the pub rock scene as did a lot of the bands like Eddie and the Hot Rods, Ian Dury etc.. The Stranglers seem to be the only ones accused of bandwagon jumping.

Walk On By is a brilliant cover and my favourite Stranglers track.

[Marky Dread]

Never remotely liked anything I ever heard by the Stranglers or anything about them. Always thought they were the worst sort of bandwagon jumpers.

They were around from '74 and didn't jump on any bandwagon. Initially called The Guildford Stranglers they played the same shit holes as The 101ers. Joe was considered for the front man briefly after Hugh left the band in 1990. They were angry and nasty sounding from the start they were not influenced by UK punk bands in fact the latter punk bands were influenced by them. They were considered the outsiders of the UK punk scene and they didn't give a fuck. They have always been the most musical of all the bands from that era and would eat most of the other bands for breaskfast. Frankly I'm a little stunned you can't find anything to like about them. But hey each to their own poison. I have all their albums and have seen them play around 70 times down the years. Anyone who wants a challenge I will be most up for doing it.

[101Walterton]

Never remotely liked anything I ever heard by the Stranglers or anything about them. Always thought they were the worst sort of bandwagon jumpers.

They were around from '74 and didn't jump on any bandwagon. Initially called The Guildford Stranglers they played the same shit holes as The 101ers. Joe was considered for the front man briefly after Hugh left the band in 1990. They were angry and nasty sounding from the start they were not influenced by UK punk bands in fact the latter punk bands were influenced by them. They were considered the outsiders of the UK punk scene and they didn't give a fuck. They have always been the most musical of all the bands from that era and would eat most of the other bands for breaskfast. Frankly I'm a little stunned you can't find anything to like about them. But hey each to their own poison. I have all their albums and have seen them play around 70 times down the years. Anyone who wants a challenge I will be most up for doing it.

They also became a great singles band with songs like Duchess, Golden Brown, Strange Little Girl etc..

[revbob]

Never remotely liked anything I ever heard by the Stranglers or anything about them. Always thought they were the worst sort of bandwagon jumpers.

They were around from '74 and didn't jump on any bandwagon. Initially called The Guildford Stranglers they played the same shit holes as The 101ers. Joe was considered for the front man briefly after Hugh left the band in 1990. They were angry and nasty sounding from the start they were not influenced by UK punk bands in fact the latter punk bands were influenced by them. They were considered the outsiders of the UK punk scene and they didn't give a fuck. They have always been the most musical of all the bands from that era and would eat most of the other bands for breaskfast. Frankly I'm a little stunned you can't find anything to like about them. But hey each to their own poison. I have all their albums and have seen them play around 70 times down the years. Anyone who wants a challenge I will be most up for doing it.

Challenge accepted. Ive heard a few songs on comps but not really familiar with them.

[101Walterton]

I would have to go with Raven first as that was the first time I saw them on that tour plus I have always loved Duchess.
I vividly remember standing in the record shop unable to choose between Duchess and When Your Young by The Jam that was released at the same time. Even today I still think of those two songs together.
I chose When Your Young (couldn't afford both).

[muppet hi fi]

Never remotely liked anything I ever heard by the Stranglers or anything about them. Always thought they were the worst sort of bandwagon jumpers.

They were around from '74 and didn't jump on any bandwagon. Initially called The Guildford Stranglers they played the same shit holes as The 101ers. Joe was considered for the front man briefly after Hugh left the band in 1990. They were angry and nasty sounding from the start they were not influenced by UK punk bands in fact the latter punk bands were influenced by them. They were considered the outsiders of the UK punk scene and they didn't give a fuck. They have always been the most musical of all the bands from that era and would eat most of the other bands for breaskfast. Frankly I'm a little stunned you can't find anything to like about them. But hey each to their own poison. I have all their albums and have seen them play around 70 times down the years. Anyone who wants a challenge I will be most up for doing it.

The bolded part I call bullshit on. So JJ played slap-bass like Stanley Clarke or Jaco Pastorious - big deal. And the keyboard player played annoying tones and runs - oooh! punk rock! I admit I'm only familiar with the first two albums, and that was enough for me.
They wanted Strummer to take over as frontman? Why? Because he looked vaguely like Hugh? Gee, I wonder why he ended up with the Pogues at that time instead. Something to do with musicality?
Ya know, mate - maybe the reason those first wave UK punk bands I mentioned (Clash, Pistols, Jam) are my faves is because they sounded like...African-American derived music forms. Dunno. But there's a distinct lack of Africa in the Stranglers' early sound. And the main thing is the lack of songwriting - and a relate-able sense of character to not just the singer's voices, but to the instrumentalists (individually and collectively).

If you want to do the 'challenge' thing, there's probably later stuff I haven't heard that might click with me. Don't know what I'd offer back, as you already dig all the good stuff But we could try it!

[101Walterton]

Brilliant pop song (Waterloo Sunset anyone?)

[Marky Dread]

Fuck it have a listen anyway... Here's 10 from their first 10 albums in chronlogical order.

1. Goodbye Toulouse (Rattus Norvegicus 1977)

2. Bitching (No More Heroes 1977)

3. Curfew (Black And White 1978)

4. Shah Shah A Go Go (The Raven 1979)

5. Waiting For The Meninblack (The Gospel According To The Meninblack 1981)

6. The Man They Love To Hate (La Folie 1981)

7. All Roads Lead To Rome (Feline 1983)

8. Punch & Judy (Aural Sculpture 1984)

9. Dreamtime (Dreamtime 1986)

10. Never To Look Back (10 1990)


No singles all album tracks.

[Marky Dread]

Never remotely liked anything I ever heard by the Stranglers or anything about them. Always thought they were the worst sort of bandwagon jumpers.

They were around from '74 and didn't jump on any bandwagon. Initially called The Guildford Stranglers they played the same shit holes as The 101ers. Joe was considered for the front man briefly after Hugh left the band in 1990. They were angry and nasty sounding from the start they were not influenced by UK punk bands in fact the latter punk bands were influenced by them. They were considered the outsiders of the UK punk scene and they didn't give a fuck. They have always been the most musical of all the bands from that era and would eat most of the other bands for breaskfast. Frankly I'm a little stunned you can't find anything to like about them. But hey each to their own poison. I have all their albums and have seen them play around 70 times down the years. Anyone who wants a challenge I will be most up for doing it.

The bolded part I call bullshit on. So JJ played slap-bass like Stanley Clarke or Jaco Pastorious - big deal. And the keyboard player played annoying tones and runs - oooh! punk rock! I admit I'm only familiar with the first two albums, and that was enough for me.
They wanted Strummer to take over as frontman? Why? Because he looked vaguely like Hugh? Gee, I wonder why he ended up with the Pogues at that time instead. Something to do with musicality?
Ya know, mate - maybe the reason those first wave UK punk bands I mentioned (Clash, Pistols, Jam) are my faves is because they sounded like...African-American derived music forms. Dunno. But there's a distinct lack of Africa in the Stranglers' early sound. And the main thing is the lack of songwriting - and a relate-able sense of character to not just the singer's voices, but to the instrumentalists (individually and collectively).

If you want to do the 'challenge' thing, there's probably later stuff I haven't heard that might click with me. Don't know what I'd offer back, as you already dig all the good stuff But we could try it!

JJ Slap bass? I don't think so mate! Burnel's distinctive aggressive sound was created using a Fender Precision Bass with RotoSound roundwound strings played with a plectrum very close to the bridge, through Hiwatt all-valve amplification. However, the defining factor was the use of a Marshall 4x12 speaker cabinet in which the speaker cones were ripped, creating a distorted sound. Punk is an attitude and yes musically and physically they would've litterally had all the other bands for breakfast. Joe, well because they liked Joe and obviously were around from before the punk explosion and Joe was a Stranglers fan and has said so.

[muppet hi fi]

Fuck it have a listen anyway... Here's 10 from their first 10 albums in chronlogical order.

1. Goodbye Toulouse (Rattus Norvegicus 1977)

2. Bitching (No More Heroes 1977)

3. Curfew (Black And White 1978)

4. Shah Shah A Go Go (The Raven 1979)

5. Waiting For The Meninblack (The Gospel According To The Meninblack 1981)

6. The Man They Love To Hate (La Folie 1981)

7. All Roads Lead To Rome (Feline 1983)

8. Punch & Judy (Aural Sculpture 1984)

9. Dreamtime (Dreamtime 1986)

10. Never To Look Back (10 1990)

1. OK; sounds like a song; can't tell if it's JJ or Hugh on vocal. (owned this album; don't remember this track).
2. Also OK; again, sounds like a song - nice major chord anthemic feel.
3. Sounds like rinky-dink "New Wave!".
4. Eh, I'll give 'em a B- for creativity; not much of a song or groove.
5. I like the line "...I'm clutching my teddy bear...", but just seems more deliberately annoying "new wave" quirkiness for the sake of quirkiness.
6. Nice groove/vibe; interesting lyric; reminds me of a milder Fall.
7. Standard issue new wave; not annoying at all, OK groove, but not very interesting.
8. Fun song, though awful mix (per 'standard 'mid-'80s standards).
9. More mechanical mid-80s dreck. Could be Love and Rockets or something.
10. A horrible, horrible sounding track - corporate, production line, soul-less. No song.

Thanks, Marky, for the schooling. And sorry, mate. You know I love you and respect you, especially your musical sensibilities - but hey, ya can't please 'em all.

[Marky Dread]

Fuck it have a listen anyway... Here's 10 from their first 10 albums in chronlogical order.

1. Goodbye Toulouse (Rattus Norvegicus 1977)

2. Bitching (No More Heroes 1977)

3. Curfew (Black And White 1978)

4. Shah Shah A Go Go (The Raven 1979)

5. Waiting For The Meninblack (The Gospel According To The Meninblack 1981)

6. The Man They Love To Hate (La Folie 1981)

7. All Roads Lead To Rome (Feline 1983)

8. Punch & Judy (Aural Sculpture 1984)

9. Dreamtime (Dreamtime 1986)

10. Never To Look Back (10 1990)

1. OK; sounds like a song; can't tell if it's JJ or Hugh on vocal. (owned this album; don't remember this track).
2. Also OK; again, sounds like a song - nice major chord anthemic feel.
3. Sounds like rinky-dink "New Wave!".
4. Eh, I'll give 'em a B- for creativity; not much of a song or groove.
5. I like the line "...I'm clutching my teddy bear...", but just seems more deliberately annoying "new wave" quirkiness for the sake of quirkiness.
6. Nice groove/vibe; interesting lyric; reminds me of a milder Fall.
7. Standard issue new wave; not annoying at all, OK groove, but not very interesting.
8. Fun song, though awful mix (per 'standard 'mid-'80s standards).
9. More mechanical mid-80s dreck. Could be Love and Rockets or something.
10. A horrible, horrible sounding track - corporate, production line, soul-less. No song.

Thanks, Marky, for the schooling. And sorry, mate. You know I love you and respect you, especially your musical sensibilities - but hey, ya can't please 'em all.

I could have picked much stronger tracks the singles and some of the more well known tracks but that seemed a little pointless as you had already decided they are not for you. So I thought anyone could listen to the more wider sounds and ideas the band have produced . Certainly not a one trick pony. Not identikit punk rock fodder.

[muppet hi fi]

I could have picked much stronger tracks the singles and some of the more well known tracks but that seemed a little pointless as you had already decided they are not for you. So I thought anyone could listen to the more wider sounds and ideas the band have produced . Certainly not a one trick pony. Not identikit punk rock fodder.

I reckon Doc and Kory could dig some of the later stuff.

[Marky Dread]

I could have picked much stronger tracks the singles and some of the more well known tracks but that seemed a little pointless as you had already decided they are not for you. So I thought anyone could listen to the more wider sounds and ideas the band have produced . Certainly not a one trick pony. Not identikit punk rock fodder.

I reckon Doc and Kory could dig some of the later stuff.

I think they would dig a couple of tracks. I think they might also like "Nosferatu" Hugh Cornwell's first solo outing of sorts.

[Silent Majority]

Pretty surprised at the board's general ambivalence to one of my favourite punk bands.